Starting motor switch



Dec. 18, 1934. B, EHRLlcl-l 1,984,921

STARTING MOTOR SWITCH Filed Feb. 5, 1930 Patented Dec. 18, 1934 PATENTOFFICE STARTING MOTOR SWITCH Louis B. Ehrlich, Toledo, Ohio, minor toThe Electric Auto-Lite Company, Toledo, Ohio, a

corporation of Ohio Application February 3, 1930, Serial No. 425,664

4 Claim.

This invention relates to switches and more particularly to that type ofswitch used with electrical apparatus employed for initiating theoperation of an internal combustion engine.

The invention contemplates the provision of a switch of this characterwhich is capable of carrying the large current for operating a motor ofthe type hereinbefore mentioned.

The invention embraces the provision of a switch having laminatedcurrent carrying members cooperating with manipulating means which willnot be effected by excessive heat produced during the switch contactingand decontacting operation.

The invention embraces the provision of a switch of this characterincorporating simple and effective means for adequately insulating thecurrent conducting parts from the enclosing casing, the deviceincorporating anti-friction means for easy manipulation of the switch.

A further object of the invention embraces the provision of a switchunit per se which may be easily afiixed to a starter motor and which isparticularly adapted for use with remote controlling devices.

Further objects and advantages are within the scope of this inventionsuch as relate to the arrangement, operation and function of the relatedelements of the structure, to various details of construction and tocombinations of parts, elements per se, and to economies of manufactureand numerous other features as will be apparent from a consideration ofthe specification and drawing of a form of the invention, in whichFigure 1 is a sectional view showing the switch of my invention togetherwith one form of manipulating means therefor;

Figure 2 is an elevational view of the switch showing a modified form ofa manipulating means;

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure1;

Figure 4 is a top plan view of the switch, part of the casing beingshown in section.

In the accompanying drawing I have illustrated the switch of myinvention as used in conjunction with a starting motor, but it is to beunderstood that I contemplate the use of my device in conjunction withany mechanism where- 60 in the same may be found applicable. Referringto the drawing in detail, 5 designates the starting motor frame whichserves as a support for the starting switch enclosed within a casing '7.The frame 5 supports a binding post or ter- 55 minal 8 to which issecured one end of a conductor 9 leading to the field structure (notshown). The terminal post 8 is suitably insulated from the frame 5 bymeans of washers 10 and a collar 11 of suitable insulating material.

The switch housing '1 adapted to be secured to the motor frame 5 bymeans of screws 6, supports a terminal post 15 which is insulatinglysupported upon the housing 7 by means of washers l8 and 19 of suitablematerial, the washer 19 being interposed between the washers 18 in anopening in the housing '7 surrounding the terminal post. The post 15 isprovided at its lower end with an enlarged head 20 and outside thehousing 7 a cable connector 16 is secured to the terminal by means of anut 22 and serves as a connection to a storage battery or other sourceof power.

Positioned within the housing 7 longitudinally thereof is a movableswitch contact structure adapted to complete the circuit between theswitch terminal posts 8 and 15. This movable contact structure comprisesa plurality of laminated current conducting members 24 and juxtaposedwith respect thereto is a resilient plate or reinforcing member 25. Theplate and laminated current conducting members are provided withopenings adjacent one end through which projects the terminal post 15,the nut 26 when drawn up serving to hold the parts in fixed relation.The opposite ends of the plate and current conducting members are heldtogether by means of a headed stud 28 which is riveted as shown at 29and serves to hold the ends of these parts in fixed relation. The stud28 is preferably made of good current conducting material as, forexample, copper, the head 30 of the stud serving as a contact member forengagement with the upper headed portion of the terminal 8 forcompleting the circuit. The intermediate portions of the currentconducting elements are preferably bowed downwardly so as to accommodatea substantially rectangular guide disc or spacer 32 of insulating orother suitable material which is secured to the plate by means of arivet 33 or other suitable retaining means. The spacer 32 may, however,be secured to the current conduct-. ing members if the same may be foundto be desirable.

The ends of the spacer 32 adjacent the side walls of the casing 7 arepreferably rounded as particularly shown in Figure 4 for the purpose ofdecreasing the contact between the parts, thus eliminating friction. Anysuitable means may be employed to prevent the spacer 32 from beingrotated or displaced, the means shown comprising a struck up projectionon the plate 25 adjacent one edge of the spacer 32 obviously serving toprevent the derangement of these parts.

Mounted upon a pivot pin 38, journalled in ears 89 struck up from thehousing "I, is an operating lever the end oi. said lever projecting intothe housing '1 and carrying at its extremity the rollers 41 0!insulating or other suitable material which are adapted tor rollercontact with the upper surface of the plate 25. In the form of theinvention shown in Figure l, a pull wire 43 is used for operation, thelever 40 being provided with an opening 44 adapted to receive one end ofthe wire, the other end being operatively connected to an operatingbutton or handle 45 mounted upon the dashboard 46 for manipulating theswitch. It will be apparent that in order to start the motor, it is onlynecessary to bring the contact 30 into engagement with the temiinal 8which may be accomplished by exerting a pull upon the handle 45 causinga downward movement of the end of the lever 40 projecting into thehousing 7, the rollers 41 engaging a plate 25 to bring the contacts intoengagement to complete the circuit.

It should be noted that the bent portion of the plate 25 cooperatingwith the rollers 41 during the contacting operation of the switch causesa longitudinal relative movement of the contact 30 with respect to thecontact 8, thereby resulting in a wiping or sliding action which tendsto keep the contacting suriaces clean and prevent the accumulation oicorrosion or oxidation.

When a push rod is used for operation, the arrangement is substantiallythat illustrated in Figure 2 wherein the lever 40' is substantiallysemicircular in shape and carrying at its upper end a pin 44' which isadapted to be received into a slot 47' located in the lower end of thepush rod 43'. In the operation of this form or device, a downwardmovement upon the button 45 located on the upper end of the push rod 48'operates to move the rollers 41' downwardly to eflect engagement of thecontact 30 with the upper end of the terminal 8 thus completing thecircuit.

It is apparent that, within the scope of the invention modifications anddifferent arrangements may be made other than is herein disclosed, andthe present disclosure is illustrative merely, the inventioncomprehending all variations thereof.

What I claim is:

1. In a device of the character disclosed comprising a switch housing; aterminal insulatingly supported upon said housing; a current conductingelement secured to said terminal;. guiding means for said currentconducting element including a member of insulating material movabletherewith; and manipulating means including a lever supported upon saidhousing adapted for cooperative engagement with said current conductingmember.

2. In a device of the character disclosed comprising a switch housing; aterminal insulatingly supported upon said housing; a movable contactelement secured to said terminal; means including a member of insulatingmaterial secured to said movable contact element for guiding saidelement in said casing; manipulating means for said movable memberincluding a lever supported upon said housing, said lever carryinganti-triction means adapted for cooperative engagement with said movablemember.

3. In a device of the character disclosed in cluding a switch housingadapted to cover a motor terminal; a switch terminal carried by saidhousing and insulated therefrom; current conducting means secured to oneof said terminals and extending into cooperative relation with the otherterminal, said current conducting means including a plurality ofmetallic strips and a resilient reinforcing member also secured to saidterminal and extending with said current conducting means intocooperative relation with the other terminal; guiding means for saidcurrent conducting means carried thereby and movable therewith, saidguiding means coacting with the walls of the switch housing forpreventing contact of said current conducting means and switch housing;and means for bringing the current conducting means into electricalcontact with the other terminal to complete the circuit between saidterminals.

4. In a device of the character disclosed, a switch housing; a terminalcarried by said housing and insulated therefrom: current conductingmeans secured to said terminal including a laminated current conductingelement and a resilient plate extending substantially coincident withsaid laminated element; a contact member holding together one end ofsaid laminated element and said plate; means including a member ofinsulating material carried by and movable with said current conductingmeans and slidably engageable with the walls of said switch housing forpreventing lateral movement of said current conducting means; andmanipulating means supported upon said switch housing and adapted forcooperative engagement with said current conducting means ior movingsaid means in said housing.

LOUIS B. EHRLICH.

